


Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

by Captain_Revo



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Gen, Post-Episode: s07e25 What You Leave Behind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-09-07 15:20:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20311666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captain_Revo/pseuds/Captain_Revo
Summary: A scene with Doctor Bashir after the last episode struggling to deal with the changes in his life.





	Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Doctor Julian Bashir leaned back in his chair, put his feet up on the side of the console, and stared into the PADD containing the complex equations of what he hoped would be a medical breakthrough in curing the infectious lung virus of Rolleb IV. The breakout that had occurred over 2 years ago had Federation scientists stumped, and had now infected over the half the population becoming terminal in well over a million people. He had been meaning to take a look at the data since the news first broke, but with the war on and the search for the morphogenic virus that was killing Odo and the Founders, he had not had the time. Fortunately with the peace treaty seemingly holding he finally had the opportunity to catch up on some side projects, and he could not resist taking a stab at this nasty contagion. He took great pride in helping people, knowing that he made a difference in their lives, but he admitted the adulation and recognition of his peers was a bonus that he found intoxicating. The thought of being the one to find the cure, to have his name in the history records, filled him with excitement. Was that a little vain? Probably, but no one ever accused him of not having an ego. But it was a moot point until he solved this medical riddle.

Keeping the stations population fit and healthy was a full time job, but his medical staff was now excellently trained and accustomed to handling most of the simpler day to day cases life threw at them. His generic enhancements allowed him to be both efficient and accurate saving a lot of time that other doctors might not be able to take advantage of. This meant he had more free time than ever, but he also found that he felt increasingly lonely since many of the command staff had moved on. The vast majority of the station personnel was still there of course, his medical team, the regulars in Quarks, plus Kira, Nog, and most importantly his wonderful girlfriend Ezri Dax, but without Miles or Garak he found most of his free time was occupied by more work. Not that he didn't enjoy the extra time to concentrate on his love of medicine but even so it had not left him with much of a social life. Ezri had asked him to take more time off, even to the point where she threatened to make it an order as station counsellor, but he no longer got any enjoyment from his usual off duty activities. He had tried to have his lunch with different people over the weeks, but no one could compare to talking philosophy or art with Garak. Trying to pry information of the spy's former life was at times no less than provocative, and wasn't exactly matched by Morn droning on. He hadn't played racquetball or darts either since Miles left, and his holosuite programs felt as empty and hollow as the replicated light and matter itself. 

"Julian," came the sweet sound of a welcome voice standing in the doorway.

"Ezri, come in," he said casually, forcing a little smile. "Is everything okay?"

She nodded nervously.

He saw the look on her face, and put the PADD down, "What is it?"

"It's nothing, it's just Captain Boday is due to stop by today.

Julian's face tried to maintain a cheerful demeanour but the sound of the Gallamite's name caused the integrity of his smile to crumble. "Oh, great." he said meekly.

"He's only here for the night, and then off taking relief supplies to Cardassia Prime." The bombing of Cardassia by the Dominion in the last hours of the war had devastated the planet, so food and aid convoys were going there almost daily now. Hearing the name Cardassia only further reminded him of Garak. He wondered how he was coping being back amongst his people at such a difficult time.

"I see," he said, wondering where this was leading.

"I was hoping the three of us could have dinner together?" she said, batting her eyelids and trying to make her cutest smile possible.

"Dinner. Together. With Boday?" he said slowly, putting a little too much disdain on his name. Nothing sounded worse than sitting across from that pretentious, arrogant man for an entire evening. The view was not appealing either. As a doctor and a Starfleet officer he accepted that he had a transparent skull, but it didn't take way from the thought of eating his food while an alien's visible brains, teeth, and tongue, would be staring back at him. To make matters even worse, he had a thing of Jadzia and given half the chance he would try it on with Ezri too.

"He's a friend, Julian, and I'd really appreciate it if you two could get along," she pleaded.

"I'm... I'm extremely busy, Ezri," he said, noticing too late that the infirmary was empty and he was slouched in a chair with his feet up.

Her face changed, "Julian," she said, in an drawn out way. 

"I just... don't like the guy," he began, "he's in love with himself, he never stops talking about his achievements, and the way he was always flirting with you, pestering you to go on dates? It's too much."

She folded her arms and looked at him in disbelief, "Have you met you?"

It was painful to admit but she had a point, he could often babble on, and had been a little over eager to date Jadzia when she first came to the station, Looking back he regretted the way he went about flirting with her. Was his resentment of Boday because he saw a little of himself in the Gallamite? The side of him that had cost him a chance with Jadzia? He forced the thought out of his head. 

"I just don't want him around you," he confessed.

"Oh my god, you're jealous."

"No, absolutely not. I am not jealous," he said adamantly. She cocked her head to one side and stared at him, "Okay. maybe a little, but you can't blame me, the guy is an outrageous flirt."

"You have nothing to worry about Julian. I can handle Boday. He knows we're dating, and I promise I'll make sure he behaves himself."

He knew he was not going to win this one so he begrudgingly surrendered, "Okay, okay. I'll make the effort... for you."

"Thanks," she lent over and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you tonight."

Absolutely." he replied, mustering everything he had in him to sound happy but not completely succeeding. _'Boday! Maybe the dominion will pick today to invade and save me.'_

She smiled and walked out, her hands clasped behind her back the way Jadzia used to. Julian had hoped to spend a quiet evening alone with her, but now that was out of the question. '_It's just dinner. It's just dinner. Nothing to worry about.'_ He returned to his work, trying to forget the impending dinner that now hung over him like a court martial. He was so close to creating this antivirus but the final solution was alluding him, and it was beginning to frustrate him too. The virus was not dissimilar to the Teplan blight known as the Quickening on Boranis III, and he had hoped to expand on the antigen that he developed. While it had proved ineffective at curing the blight, when mothers with the antigen gave birth it formed as a vaccine in the child. Even a vaccine would be an important step in the right direction.

After a few minutes the com-unit chimed. _'What now'._ He looked down and pressed the accept button. The face of his friend Miles O'Brien appeared.

"Miles," he said excitedly, putting his feet down and drawing his chair closer to the screen. "How are you?"

"Hello, Julian. Hope this isn't a bad time?"

"No, not at all," the doctor replied.

"I can call back if it is?"

"NO," he shouted too loudly , "no, trust me Chief, this is a great time."

He smiled, "Not a chief any more."

"Of course. How is the new position?" Bashir asked.

"The academy? Yeah, it's fine. Keiko loves being back on Earth and the being on a planet is fantastic for the kids. A station wasn't the best environment for them now I see how they are here. Molly said she misses you."

"That's sweet, tell her I miss her too. I'm pleased they are enjoying themselves."

There was a long pause as Miles look pensive before he finally replied, "It's just... it's... oh, forget it." he said waving his hand.

"Go on," he said, trying to encourage his friend to open up.

"I miss... I miss... the work, you know?"

"...Oh, right, of course." a tinge of disappointment in his voice, before trying to cover it, "You're a born engineer after all. The hustle and bustle of a busy station always breaking down. The turbolifts haven't been the same since you left. Morn got stuck in one for sixteen hours last week."

"I bet he hasn't shut up about it since," he replied, laughing. "It's just teaching these students is really rewarding and all, and I have a great crop of kids, don't get me wrong, but I'm tinkering around the edges here. I'm not dismantling warp cores, or fixing upper pylons. There's no challenge. Besides there's only so many times I can look at a diagram or answer a question."

"Maybe you need a hobby, something to construct?"

"Like a starship. I'm sure Keiko would love one in the back garden," he said chuckling to himself. "What about you?"

"Me? Oh, you know, fine, fine. Doesn't feel the same around here without you," he said, before quickly adding, "and the others."

"Right," he said nodding. There was another long pause.

"Any plans for tonight?" asked Julian breaking the silence. 

"Keiko wants to go to the opera. I'm trying to get out of it. You?"

"No plans, well, actually yes I do now. Captain Boday is coming in," he said reluctantly forcing the words out.

"The Gallamite! I didn't know you two were friends."

Bashir chewed his inner cheek. "We're not."

"Ezri roped you in did she?" he said chuckling.

"Press ganged more like." he said. Miles could see the annoyance on his face which caused him to laugh all the more.

"It's not funny." 

"It is when you're 52 light years away," he retorted, trying to stifle the giggles, "Been in the holosuite much?"

"Only a spartan program with Ezri. I'm not entirely sure she enjoys it. I think she plays it to humour me. She wanted to defend the Alamo, but I ...can't do it without you. I haven't played a game of darts either since you left. It would be like... cheating on you."

Miles raised an eyebrow, "Julian, I am both very touched and very disturbed by what you just said, but by all means feel free to cheat to your hearts content."

Julian laughed in response. 

"Seriously though, make sure you live your life, Julian. Don't let me hold you back."

"I... maybe you're right," he conceded. 

"Although I admit finding someone to play darts with has not been easy. It's not the same without-." Miles' combadge chirped. "Oh, bollocks, I have a lesson in 5 minutes. Listen, Julian, I have to head back to class in a minute. If you have any shore leave coming, I'm free in two weeks."

"Two weeks? I think I can arrange that. It's been pretty quiet recently. I'm sure they can manage without me."

"Invite Ezri, I'm sure she'd love to come," he said, eager to see her too.

Bashir nodded, "I'll do that, she'll jump at the chance."

"Okay, got to go. Take care, Julian."

"You too, Miles."

The image of Miles disappeared from the screen. The chat with his friend had considerable brightened his day. Even the thought of dinner with Captain Boday didn't seem such an ordeal, and now he had a trip to Earth to plan. He went to pick up his PADD but thought better of it, thinking about conversation. He tapped his combadge. 

"Bashir to Dax."

"Dax here, what is it Julian?"

"Are you free for a quick game racquetball before Boday gets here?"

"Sure thing. Meet you in court two in twenty?"

"Sounds perfect." he said happily, springing out of his chair. 

The door to the court opened. Dax walked in to find Julian was already beginning his stretching, facing away from her. She admired his cute silver outfit and how tight it was, before trying to focus on the game at hand. Julian was a much better player than her, with his love for tennis when he was young, and the epic matches he had against the Chief, but her gymnastics background from a previous host Emony, and her intense training workouts from Jadzia, plus a few games of springball with Kira had made her a competitive match for him at least. He turned his head and smiled. This had been the first time he had asked her to play against him since the Chief left. It was an encouraging sign, and she much preferred it to the holodeck programs he ran. Most of them involved heroic last stands against insurmountable odds. It seemed strange that a doctor would choose programs with so much death and violence. She had assumed that as someone who heals people, makes them better and helps them cheat death that he needed to subconsciously let his darker emotions out. Perhaps on some level he needed to face death for all the times he had robbed it of a patient. She tried not to psychoanalyse him too much as he wasn't her patient, but it was difficult not to worry about the man she loved.

"You seem happier than before. What brought this on?" she asked, pleased to see his change in mood.

"Miles called."

"Oh, maybe I should be jealous this time," she suggested playfully.

"Well he's not coming to dinner, but he did invite us both to Earth in two weeks."

"Sounds wonderful. I've always wanted to visit Paris." Despite living for so many centuries she had never gotten around to seeing Paris. The humans called it the most romantic city on Earth. Ben had always commented on how lovely it was and being the site of Federation Presidents office and would definitely be worth seeing.

"Would you like to serve," he asked, offering up the ball.

"Sure," Ezri replied taking it.

They played for about ten minutes, the scores were even, with neither player dropping their serve, with Ezri pulling off several impressive display of agility to hit returning shots that she had no right to hit based on her small stature, when a chime from the communication system alerted them both. The voice of his assistant sounded, "Infirmary to Doctor Bashir." 

"This is Bashir," he said, catching his breath.

"We have a medical emergency in the infirmary. The _USS_ _Daedalus_ has arrived with injuries. Captain Boday is badly hurt."

The two of them rushed to the infirmary. As they entered the door they saw nurses tending to several crewmen with minor injuries, burns and lacerations mostly. They were from the crew of the _Daedalus, _Captain Boday's ship. Julian looked around quickly to see that none of them seemed life threatening. 

"What happened?" asked the doctor. Ezri could tell there was a subtle change in the way he spoke and carried himself when a medical situation arose. A focus and intensity washed over him, replacing his often boyish and whimsical charm.

A bajoran nurse turned to him. Seems like a Breen ship attacked the _Daedalus_ without warning. They took massive causalities and their sickbay was severely damaged, so they transported the wounded here."

"I guess no one told them the war was over." added a Caitian officer she was tending to. "We were entering the Bajoran system and saw them on an approaching course. They said they needed medical attention. As we approached we lowered our shield to transport over medical crews and they just opened fire on us without warning. We held them off but they took out out weapon systems. We were lucky we were so close to DS9."

"You said Boday was injured." Ezri asked to anyone who had an answer.

"Yes, badly. A console exploded directly in front of him. He's being prepped for surgery right now," replied the nurse.

"I had better go change," said Julian. "Excuse me." 

A sudden cold chill ran up her back, "What about the Breen?" She did not have fond memories of them having been captured by them last year, and she had suffered nightmares for weeks. "Are they going to attack the station?"

"They were driven off by the Defiant," replied one of the injured crew, a Bolian with plasma burns across one side of his face. "They'd need an armada to attack this station. I think it was an isolated incident."

She was glad that there was no further danger, and grateful to Kira for saving the ship. Ezri found a stool and sat down, waiting on news from her friend.

Several hours passed. The rest of the crew had been patched up and returned to the _Daedalus_ to oversee repairs, and she had been gnawing at her nails in worry when Julian walked out his his red surgical gown. She bolted up and walked towards him. His expression was hard to read.

"He's going to be okay," he said, seeing the relief break out on her face, "he took a very nasty wack to the face which caused a subdural hematoma on the brain, and the force of the blow broke the second and third cervical vertebrae, plus had third degree burns to much of his face. I've repaired the damage and used a dermal re-generator on the skin. He should be right as rain in a day or two, but I'd like to keep him in over night.

She breathed deeply and smiled. "Thank you, Julian."

"Just doing my job," he replied modestly. Fixing people was not much different to an engineer fixing a warp core in his opinion. No one ever thinks they are heroes for replacing an EPS conduit, and to Julian it felt little different. 

"Looks like you got out of dinner after all," she joked trying to let the tension out of her body.

"You can go see him now, but be brief, if he lets you. He just spent the last ten minutes talking my ear off. This was the first chance I had to get away. I left him flirting with a nurse."

She rolled her eyes, 'Figures," she said, before before kissing him.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"For being the best doctor in the galaxy." She patted him on the chest and went to see her friend.

He smiled to himself as he took off his hat and ruffled his hair back into place. He typed in some text on his console to the _Daedalus_ that the captain was out of surgery and could accept visitors. The thought struck him in the moment as he fired off the message. '_Adaptive RNA relocation sequences'_. It was a new procedure but it might just be the key he was looking for the cure to the lung virus. He went over to his PADD that was left on his desk. He plugged in the necessary numbers and looked at the simulation on the main screen. The computer confirmed his hypothesis. By combining his work on the Blight with this method he predicted a ninety-six percent chance of recovery. He would send off his finding to Starfleet Medical today where they can run the necessary tests and confirm the viability. With any luck the planets population would be healthy as before within a week or two. His sunk into his chair with relief. Today had turned out pretty well after all.


End file.
